BOOK 11, Chptr. 9, P&V pg. 842

Book 11, Chapter 9

Pierre dreams he hears his deceased masonic teacher, and other dreams that night. Next day he learns Prince Andrew and Anatole are dead.

Summary:

If was a night of vivid dreams and fitful sleep for Pierre. Scarcely had he laid his head on the pillow before the horrors of the day’s fighting flooded his mind. A feeling of dread of death seized him. Frightened, he sits up and sees the yard is peaceful. He marvels at the bravery of the soldiers, and wishes he could have been a simple soldier himself. He dreams of a solemn meeting of the lodge where many people are present, including his deceased Masonic mentor. He dreams his mentor or someone else is speaking to him about goodness. The next day he can’t remember what was said to him, and incorrectly believes the words were from someone outside himself. That morning he learns of the deaths of Prince Andrew and Anatole.

quote from the chapter:

To endure war is the most difficult subordination of man’s freedom to the law of God, the voice had said. Simplicity is submission to the will of God; you cannot escape from Him. And they are simple. They do not talk, but act. The spoken word is silver but the unspoken is golden. Man can be master of nothing while he fears death, but he who does not fear it possesses all. If there were no suffering, man would not know his limitations, would not know himself. The hardest thing (Pierre went on thinking, or hearing, in his dream) is to be able in your soul to unite the meaning of all. To unite all? he asked himself. No, not to unite. Thoughts cannot be united, but to harness all these thoughts together is what we need! ”

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